I was really looking forward to this weekend as I love Summit, but hadn't been able to get there in two years. Since then they repaved and added sealer to the carousel and most of the racing lines around the track.
Q1 was a scuffing session for me and ran somewhere in the mid 26's myself. Q2 was meant to be a "knock off" session since I planned on racing Saturday on the same tires that I finished 3rd at Watkins on. It turns out the track came to life and the sealer was much grippier than in the morning, even on the 3rd heat cycle. After a few laps dealing with slower cars I had one chance to lay down a flyer. After carrying an insane amount of speed through 3 and 10 , getting way out of shape under braking into 5, I bettered the track record by .009 seconds.
Saturday was pretty uneventful. On the start, Sebastian and I went side by side through 1-2 and he did the all famous 2-5 up shift which allowed me to surge ahead into turn 3. From there I managed to open up a sizable lead running consistent, conservative laps.
Sunday was a very different story. Like Saturday, on the start, Sebastian and I ran side by side through turn 1-2 again. This time he hit his marks and had the line into turn 3 along with Mike. Mike got loose on exit and we ran side by side through the chute into 5. I was then able to track down and make an outside pass stick on Sebastian into turn 1 to take the lead. Over the next two laps Mike and Sebastian swapped places. Heading down the front straight Mike drafted to me and just slightly beyond side by side. As we started braking I felt a slam from the left and it was our cars making contact. Mike slid wide and did a good job of not beaching it. This allowed Sebastian to get beside me entering turn 3. From there we ran side by side through the chute. After he had a little lock up I diced my way around him. The very next lap Sebastian, with Forrest in tow, drafted by me on the front straight. Exiting turn 1 Forrest was at my right rear tire. As we tracked to the right to set up for 3 we touched ever so slightly. After moving to the left to give more room and holding the left side of my car on the center line, we touched again and both of our cars shot to the right. Unfortunately Forrest ended up off track. The hit knocked my right rear out of alignment and made my car incredibly loose in turn 3 and 10. After running second for a number of laps and trying to get by Sebastian, Mike worked his way back to us and past me. I spent the rest of the race doing everything I could to stick with Mike and Sebastian hooked up in the draft. I spent each lap making up ground in the brake zones figuring that they would battle on the last lap and maybe give me a shot at another win...it was my only chance. Heading into turn 1 on the final lap they were side by side. I broke a bit early to get a run out but timed it poorly and had no choice but to go inside of Sebastian exiting 1. This set me up on the outside of him in 3 and blew any chance I had of advancing my position.